Throwback Thursday: This week in 2009, after unsuccessful attempt at comeback Theo Fleury retires from the NHL

This week in 2009 (Sept. 28), Theo Fleury officially announced his retirement from the NHL despite attempting a comeback with the Calgary Flames.

Drafted by the Flames in the 8th round of the 1987 draft, Fleury had a long and successful career playing 791 games with the Flames between 1988 and 1998, when the club traded him to Colorado in a deal that brought back Robyn Regher, among others.

Fleury bounced around between the Avs, the New York Rangers and Chicago, but in 2003 was out of the league after battles with drug and alcohol addictions. He chased an Allen Cup in the 2000’s and played for the Belfast Giants in 2005-06.

In 2009, he hired a personal trainer in hopes of making an NHL comeback. Gary Bettman lifted his suspension in September, and took a try-out with the Flames. He played in four games scoring four points in the preseason, but GM Darryl Sutter felt Fleury wasn’t a top-six winger on the club, a condition that was agreed upon between the two parties.

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